Session Black Lager | Full Sail Brewery & Tasting Room & Pub

0 characters.
We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters. Awesome. Thanks for the review!

In English, explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.

We pour a brew that looks an awful lot like cola. It holds a tannish one finger head, and has the same medium brown-maroon flecks when light passes through it. Little lacing is left as the head recedes, at a medium pace. No sediment or haze is noted, and carbonation looks active, with lots of tiny bubbles clinging around the bottom of the glass. The aroma is full of malts, which are dark and toasty. They could be caramel, or something a bit deeper. There are hints of white sugar, adding sweetness, flashes of tin, and other adjuncty grain. As we sip grain splashes up front. There is a sweetness of cream and black molasses, and a toasty character. The middle sees milder malts, that here seem more adjuncty, and indiscernibly grainy. We finish on a yeasty note, with more metal poking up, and a sugary sweetness for the balance. The aftertaste breathes of dark grain, and the slightest hint of hop extract, for further balance. The body is medium and the carbonation is a touch above average. The mouth is left a bit dry along the top of the palate, but otherwise wet and unoffended. There is little creaminess to help the drinker along. The abv is within range, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the aroma. While there were slight hints at adjuncts, and filler grain, it smelled very much as a Schwarzbier should. It had nice deep malts, with a toasting, and a mild sweetness to carry through with the balance. Where we lost points was in the lack of flavor. The malts were there, but we would have like to see something a little stronger.

Appearance: Dark brown without much of a head - some tan/white lacing, but it seems like it could use more carbonation

Smell: Basically smells like a lager - there are some hints of roasted malts, but they are faint compared to some other schwarzbiers I've had - overall, very mellow but good

Taste: Like the smell, this is anything but intense - tastes like a roasted lager, as it should - a little burnt, roasty, and toasted - mostly it tastes like a lager with some chocolate malts - simple but undeniably good - just a little earthy

Mouthfeel: Thin, but incredibly smooth considering how thin it is

Overall: It's a mellow schwarzbier that doesn't focus on being a schwarzbier - not intense, super drinkable

This is easily the most mellow shcwarzbier I've ever encountered. And honestly, I think this is a good thing. I could easily drink a lot of these, which fits the "session" concept. I really need to try the Session Lager.

T: The taste starts out bready and a little creamy with flavors lager yeast and a hearty roasted malt character. There are some background flavors of coffee chocolate and a little fruit. The hops presence is mild but brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

I liked this beer. It reminds me of the German blacks like Köstriker et al but with less mouthfeel and a bit more macro in flavor. I prefer it to the red labelled lager. I would like to try it as a draft but I don't think they have it. At least not in NYC. Overall a good pounding beer!

Picked up a 12-pack at CBX not too long ago. Down to the last few, so I might as well rate the stuff...

A: Poured from a stubby, 11oz bottle (I'm giving this beer an extra 0.5 points here, because of the retro-unique bottle) into an English pint glass... Nice, dark brown body with a light tapioca, one-finger head that recedes pretty quickly - a few specks of lace here and there.

S: Roasted grains; toast; caramel; and touch of coffee and some chocolate, too.

T: Caramel malt sweetness, with some nice roasted notes; again, just a touch of coffee and perhaps some dark chocolate; earthy hops are light and smidge minty.

D/O: A great beer here, although not a true "Session" ale if you want to get technical per the traditional definition... that being said, it is highly "Session-able!" - really good stuff, and so far my favorite Full Sail beer. I really enjoy knocking back a few of these at cook outs, tailgate parties, etc.

A: The pour is a very dark brown color with a thin layer of off-white head, but minimal retention.

S: Roasted malts and coffee are immediately noticeable. While the more roasted qualities are dominant, there is a really nice dark chocolate note to it as well. It lacks the sharp acidity of a lot of schwarzbiers, which I find nice.

T: Much more chocolately that I was anticipating. Dark and slightly bitter chocolate with plenty of roasted malts and just a touch of coffee. Definitely some earthy hop notes are present as well.

M: Medium in body with a surprisingly creamy feel on the tongue.

O: I thought the regular Session Lager was pretty decent, but this really blows it out of the water. Solid beer.

A - Pours a dark cola brown with a good, two finger head that dissipates quickly, light steady carbonation rising from the bottom

S - While not remarkable, a good amount of roasty malt on the front that fades into some sweetness

T - Good amount of roasted malt, not full, but present, which fades into a hint of chocolate. Again, not remarkable, but pleasant, certainly good for a session beer.

M - Full amount of carbonation in this beer, a good amount of crispness with a pleasant aftertaste. Very drinkable.

Overal - It's everything you might want in a session beer. Nothing outstanding, really, but one that you have no problem just sitting there enjoying. I think this would be great in the summer if you're sitting around a campfire, or just knocking back a few with friends.

A- Pours a darker brown color with red hues when held to the light. Half finger tan head shows low retention. Spotty lacing left on the glass when I was drinking.

S- Light smoke and roasted malt in the front of the aroma. Hints of toasted grain in the middle. Backend has a light chocolate malt to it with faded grassy hops. Alcohol is light and doesn't come out very much in the nose.

T- Light toasted grains with a little heaver roasted malt in the front of the beer. Hints of smoked grain in the middle. Light grassy hops and a even lighter chocolate hint mixes with sweet alcohol.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is light for the style. A little watery at times on the palate. Roasted malts with light grassy hops left on the palate. Aftertaste is mostly sweet alcohol, roasted malts, and grassy hops. Flavor while a little muted was put together nicely. No real off flavor at all just a little muted to make it seem a little off at times. Light alcohol drying on the palate.

O- This beer was a fantastic little find. The flavors were not over the top which helps to the overall drinkability. Lighter ABV also means it can be could drunk in a little larger amounts. A nice easy drinker from Full Sail.

Session Black Lager pours an almost black color that shows red highlights with a tan head from a twelve ounce stubby bottle. The aroma has a touch of hops and a bit of a roasty malt smell. The flavor is nice, malty, a hint of chocolate, a bit of roast flavor is the most noticeable. Easy drinking, a nice session beer.

The mouthfeel is really, really nice. Soft and smooth. The body is medium, but really feels slick and soft.

This is a really good, and aptly named, session beer. Enough interesting flavor, but not so much that it gets old. A really nice, well priced beer. I'll have to get some more of this for certain guests.

Pours a good one finger head, it looks a little soda like though, not the best looking head I've ever seen that's for sure. Body is dark brown, not at all black though. Appearance is ok. It smells very good though, it just smells really really smooth. On the smell all you really detect is malt, maybe some chocolate notes too, but not much else, it just smells really crisp and very smooth. Wow, very robust taste that just hits you up front and stays with you for a while. Yeah there are some definite chocolate notes in here, and of course I taste a lot of malt, it's a very simple beer, but really well done! It just tastes like there is nothing wrong with it at all, they didn't do much, but what they did, they did it really really well. I might be picking up a tiny tiny hop bite in the end, but not much at all. For this being a "sessionable" beer, it's really very robust and well done. Is it the best beer I've ever had? No, but I'm very surprised and pleased at how good it tastes. The mouthfeel is more than I expected, it doesn't have a watery feel at all to it, it's a legit mouthfeel. The drinkability I expected to be high and it did not disappoint. I don't know what else to say, very surprised by this beer and very impressed!

I am loving the black lager trend. Such a great looking beer with some real presence, but so thin on the tongue. It's a combo that I think leaves a lot of dark beer drinkers wanting more, but only because it is picked out of place. I love the crisp lightness paired with an actual toasty goodness. Bottle is a nice change.

Bottle from jersey into a glass. The regular session lager was decent so hopefully this is too.

Session black goes into the glass a few shades shy of shiny black. Up to light, some browns towards edges. Tan/white cap with bubbles, semi stick. Smell is somewhat english malt, dark bread, hops are dead at this point, peat. Taste is off the beaten path with the above additions. I really can't explain it. Feel is less than medium, with a light fizz and a low drinkability. Next.

A- a hard pour yields only a small cap of tan head that settles quickly and leaves a solid foamy ring a just a few spots on the glass. A good swirl does bring the head back a bit. Dark red brown black in color from a far and glows a nice ruby amber when held to light.

S- light roast and some fruit. Rather subdued nose.

T- mild roast again with a bit of nuttiness. Light fruits and some caramel.

M- on the lighter side of body with a carb on the high side of things.

D- its alright not one that will make an impression on ya. Nothing unpleasant by any means but nothing to write home about either.